Universal drive for motor-vehicle wheels.



0. H. ROGERS.

UNIVERSAL DRIVE FOR MbTOR VEHICLE WHEELS. APPLICATION mfp MAY L5. 1916.v

1,244,778. Patented oct. 30, 1mi

gum.-

W1 T'NESS,

45 i of Fig. 1 with the retainingring reor SACEM/mirino. cALIroBNIA.

'UNIVERSAL DRIVE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLE WHEELS.

l e it known that I, -OVID H. Rochas, a

' Drives forMotorVehicle Wheels; and I docitize'nof the United Sta-tes, residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento, 'State' of Callfornla, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements 1n Universal declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the same, ,reference b emgjhad to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference. marked i' thereon, whichjform appart of this appliy This invention relates to improvements in a= drivin motor 've 'icles' and the wheels thereof, and

v isespeeially designed as a connection more .particularlyfor use. on thefront wheels of" a motor vehicle iii-order that the wheels may be driven by the motorof the vehicle and atthe lsame time be readily turned in anydirection desired 'for steering purposes.4

The. advantages of such a structure are obvious-without any, special discussion of the lsaine here.

A.' further objectfof the; invention is to 4produce a sim le and inexpensive device and yet one winch will be exceedingly eii'e'c.-

. tion.

I purposes-` forl which it is designed. l l. 'These objects I of-the following speci cation'an claim.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing my I improved universal knuckle or joint by means of which the wheel :mayv be driven andat 'the lsame time. turned in any direcrig, 2 is an end vi'evof attua of ai@ wheelwith the cover cap removed.

Fig. 3 isa sectional view taken on a llne moved. I

' Fig. 1 lis a fragmentary view showing the i .inner face of the hub of my improved wheel.

. characters of' reference on the drawings,

Referring now more particularly to the the. numeral 1 designates the shaft housing for the driving fastened to the end of which is one section 2 of-'the jointhousing, which section 2 is vsubst'antia ly semifspherical in shape 'and Y Specificationof Letters Patent. Application fudgMy 1,5, 191s. serial No; 97,474.

means fconneeting the motors of p accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangemer'itv of lparts as will more full appear-bgA a perusal axle of the wheels suitably .Patented en so. 1917.

.turnably mounted on which is Athe other half of `the joint housing '3 which is likel wise semi-spherical in order to move freely over the surface of the portion 2 as shown.

The housing 3 is formed in two parts suitably connected' by bolts l in 'order that the lsame may be fitted overthe part 2. lVhile it is desired that the housing 3 may have al f free swivelin0-motion on the housing 2, it. k1s not desire `thatithave any-.roiary motion thereon', and therefore I provide pins f V o anchored .in 'the housing 3 and turnable Fig. 1.

The housing 2 is provided with' a circular.

in the housing 2 substantially as-shown in recessed socket 6. The numeral designates female jaw S on the "universal ioint. The

vmale jaw comprises members oi" blocks 9 wedged into slots l0 in the jaw S and having semi-spherical inner surfaces 11 swiveled in .the driving shaft, formed on which is the r which are blocks 12. The members l0 arie 'y heldin position within the slots 11 by means l of the retaining ring 13 provided with a normally extending sleeve 14; fitting around the jaw member 8. The retainin ring 13 also holds in position rollers 15 interposed between the sleeve 14 and the 'sides of the socket 6 so that the universal-joint may have a free rotary movement within the housing .2. Swiveled Within the blocks 12 are pins 16 o n a knuckle 17, such knuckle 17 having a projecting pin 18 squared into aspider 19. The arms 20 of the spider 19 engage slots in two hub plates 21 and 22fand are held in polsition therein vby a cap 23 screwed from the` same onto thehub plate 22. The hub plates 21 and 22 arch over the-housing '3 and eX-` tend on opposite sides of the spokes 24: of thewheel 'of the vehicle. y

.The housingBy is provided with an end colf .lar 25, andthe hub plate 21 has a corres onding'collar'spaced from'the collar 25,

, t ere being a, suitable ball or. roller bearing 26,interposedbetween the two to' allow a free; l A rotary motion of theplates 21 and 22relative to the-housing 3. For a similar' reason.,

the housing is provided with a shoulder 27 4spacec'l from fthe v'sleeve 28. on the hub plate 2 1-, there being aroller or ball bearing 29 interposed between the members 27 and 28. .This roller or ball bearing 29 is held inplace y by abutting against a'shoulder 30 on the 'housing 3 on one side and by a retaining ring 31 screwed into the'gy-,plate` 21 on the o poste side. Similarly the roller or ba l bearing 26 heid in end ofthe plate ,21. ,.nism may be suitably positiony by abutting on the' housing 3 and screwed into the outer The steering mechaeonnected with the housing as at Siler. other `suitable point. With the rotationof the 'driving-shaft 7 motionA will be imparted through the jaw 8 to against a shoulder by a, retaining ring 33 the blocks 9 and 12, "thence through .the

lknuckle 17 to the pin 18, spider 19 and hub plates 21 and22 to the -wheel. This will rotate the wheel on the bearings 26 and 29 irrespective of direction yin which the Wheel may be turned 'since the universal joint allows of the necessary flexible action While the hou-sings 2 :ind-5 being swiveled relative to each other a-llou' of thewheel being turned readily seen thatI have' produced such a device substantially fulfils the object 'of invention as set forth herein.4

renti'on,` as defined by other, the inner v A1,244,77e

of the device, still iiipractice suoli deviations' froni'such detail may be resorted to as do not forni a departure troni the spirit of the-iii- 1 i the appended elaiin. aving thus described iny invention what l claim as new and useful and desire o'seeure by Letters Patent is: l

A universal drive inechanisin for inotor vehicles eoinprisiiig a join" housing consisting of two ii'ieinbers swivcled one upon the ineniber being `provideail with an annular recess cut in frein its end and terminating in a shoulder7 u uiiivcrsal joint within the housingan annular sleeve inounted on tliejoiiit and inclosing one side of the recess, rollers mounted within the -cessland bearing between tliesleeve and the inner housing ineniber7 the inner ends of the rollers abutting against the ii'ange on the ring' abuttingagainst the other 'ends of the rollers to maintain thein within the recess and a wheel tnriiable on the out- Aside of the housing and connected in. drive` incr relation with the universal joint. n

n testimony whereof I aiiix my signature,

ovin H. Roenes.

shoulder, a

fili 

